diff --git a/maven-plugins/maven-eclipse-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/eclipse/EclipseWriter.java b/maven-plugins/maven-eclipse-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/eclipse/EclipseWriter.java
index f9b282ddd3..98d8690c8a 100644
--- a/maven-plugins/maven-eclipse-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/eclipse/EclipseWriter.java
+++ b/maven-plugins/maven-eclipse-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/eclipse/EclipseWriter.java
@@ -675,6 +675,11 @@ public class EclipseWriter
     {
         Xpp3Dom pluginConfig = (Xpp3Dom) plugin.getConfiguration();
 
+        if ( pluginConfig == null )
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
         String source = null;
 
         Xpp3Dom sourceChild = pluginConfig.getChild( "source" );